Even though you’re thousands of miles from any ocean, a visit to Traveling Mercies on the third floor of Stanley Marketplace offers a cozy 400 sq ft escape that feels like a seaside resort. The whimsical space features honey-blonde wood tones, cane-backed chairs, and a maritime-inspired color palette of white, cobalt, and navy blue. Gaze overhead, and the undulating wood-slat ceilings evoke rolling ocean waves.
Here, James Beard-winning chef Caroline Glover leads her second restaurant. Like her first venture, Annette, just a few hundred yards away in the same building, this new venture, which opened at the end of 2023, also feels deeply personal. The quirky, quasi-handwritten font of the menu and the restaurant’s name, inspired by a saying from Glover’s mother, hint at how she aims to bring customers into her comfortable, nostalgia-twinged world scattered with simple delights.
This spot is designed for enjoying elegant sips and snacks, so ordering a few oysters and a round of cocktails is essential. The bar’s zero-proof menu also delivers with options like the Three Spirits Daiquiri — a sweet, caramel-colored concoction served in a coupe and garnished with a dried lemon.
Although the menu doesn’t feature traditional entrees, you can still pull together the nicest girl dinner imaginable. Order up the Oeuf Tonnato a creamy, salty dish that comes to the table with a glossy brown anchovy placed atop a soft egg coated with an aoili, plus a Slab Salad – easier to cut and eat than a wedge and punchier than a classic Caesar thanks to the addition of sundried tomatoes and pancetta.
Before you head back into the real world, treat yourself to a refreshing dessert: Rice Pudding, featuring a seasonal flavor during my visit, paired with a tantalizing sour cream whip and apricot-tarragon shaved ice.
Traveling Mercies (located in Stanley Marketplace)
2501 Dallas St. #311
Aurora, CO 80010
(Third floor, west side, take the elevator or the stairs)